Heart Failure Diagnosis and Treatment Q&A

Author: Hu Daqi
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2002-12-01
Features: Numerous clinical trials have demonstrated that the traditional "inotropic, diuretic, and vasodilator" treatment for heart failure (HF) may initially improve clinical symptoms, but long-term use does not reduce mortality and may even increase it. In recent years, it has been found that the long-term, chronic activation of the neuroendocrine cytokine system promotes myocardial remodeling, exacerbates myocardial injury, and worsens cardiac function, which is the basic mechanism of the onset and development of heart failure. The new approach of using drugs such as ACE inhibitors and beta-blockers to block the neuroendocrine system as the basis of treatment can truly improve long-term prognosis. The treatment of chronic heart failure has shifted from short-term hemodynamic/pharmacological measures to long-term, reparative strategies aimed at altering the biological nature of the failing heart. The goal of heart failure treatment is not only to improve symptoms and enhance quality of life but also, more importantly, to target the mechanism of myocardial remodeling, preventing and delaying its progression to reduce the mortality and hospitalization rates of heart failure. These shifts in treatment strategies are significant advancements in evidence-based medicine over the past decade, particularly in the past five years. This book adopts a question-and-answer format to introduce readers to the latest developments in the diagnosis and treatment of heart failure, as well as the main components of standardized treatment in a concise and clear manner. It serves as a reference for cardiologists, internists, general practitioners, and medical students.